Place the seeds from the vanilla bean and the 2 teaspoons of sugar in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Butter four 10-by-1 1/2-inch baking dishes and dust each of them with the vanilla sugar. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, and then on low speed add the 2/3 cup sugar, the flour, salt, heavy cream, milk, grated anise and pear brandy. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth, and then let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core and slice the pears and place the slices in a single layer on the bottom of each baking dish. Pour the batter over the top. Bake until golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with lime zest and serve warm.
This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional. It has not been tested for home use.
Copyright 2015, Chef Daniel Rose, All Rights Reserved